Omaha ? Several environmental groups are calling for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to excuse herself from the review of a $7 billion oil pipeline project because of comments she made last month suggesting support for it.

TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline needs a permit from the State Department because the pipeline would cross the U.S.-Canadian border in carrying Canadian oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Clinton said Oct. 15 that she was inclined to approve the pipeline. The environmental groups say that’s improper because the pipeline is still under review.

The proposed pipeline would cross Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. TransCanada has also proposed connecting from the pipeline to the Bakken oil field in Montana and North Dakota.